Corrected entry: When the series was shown on the U.K., all references that "events occur in real-time" were omitted, as the BBC does not have adverts during or between programs. The only exceptions are the first few episodes of series 1 (probably because no-one realised it wasn't accurate), and the first episode of series 2, shown without adverts in the US and hence a full real-time hour in both countries.
megamii
28th Sep 2003
Correction: Not quite true. Although the first episode of season two in the USA was shown without commercial interruption, there were long Ford ads before AND after the episode and a promo for "John Doe" and scenes for the next episode making it 51:43. A shorter version shown in reruns is 43:56. See http://www.tv.com/24/day-2-800-a.m.-900-a.m./episode/161143/trivia.html.